Complete List of Cognitive Biases

Our tendency to fixate on the first piece of information we encounter can heavily skew our decisions. That initial 'anchor' sets the stage for everything that follows—even if better information comes along later.

Our minds naturally gravitate toward emotionally charged information, causing us to fixate on certain details while completely missing other critical data that doesn't trigger the same emotional response.

Our tendency to rely on information that comes to mind quickly and easily can skew our perception of reality. Events that are vivid, recent, or emotionally charged are given disproportionate weight in our decisions—even when statistical evidence tells a different story.

When presented with evidence that contradicts our beliefs, we often reject it and strengthen our original position. This cognitive response transforms corrections into reinforcement of misinformation.

We tend to adopt beliefs or behaviors simply because many others do the same. This **conformity impulse** can override our independent judgment, causing us to make decisions based on social proof rather than personal evaluation.

We're naturally drawn to specific, vivid details while ignoring broader statistical realities. This mental blindspot leads us to overestimate unlikely events and make poor probability judgments in everything from medical decisions to risk assessment.

We're wired to judge arguments based on how well they align with our existing beliefs, not by their actual logical merit. This mental shortcut can blind us to valid evidence that challenges our worldview.

We readily recognize cognitive biases in others while remaining oblivious to the same biases in ourselves. This meta-bias creates a dangerous illusion of objectivity that can undermine our decision-making quality.

We tend to seek out and interpret information in ways that support our existing beliefs—while discounting or ignoring contradictory perspectives.

Our memories and judgments are profoundly shaped by surrounding circumstances. What we recall—and how we interpret information—depends heavily on the environment, timing, and emotional state present when we learn or retrieve it.

We often overestimate our abilities when we know the least about a subject, while experts frequently undervalue their skills. This invisible confidence gap affects everything from workplace decisions to personal development.

We often assume our views, preferences, and behaviors are widely shared when they're actually minority opinions. This blind spot can lead to serious missteps in business, relationships, and strategic planning.

Our minds often fabricate or distort memories, creating vivid recollections of events that never happened or occurred differently. These false memories feel just as real as genuine ones, making them particularly deceptive.

The way information is presented—positively or negatively—can dramatically affect our choices, even when the facts are identical. It's why '90% fat-free' sounds better than '10% fat' on food labels.

We're quick to blame others' personality flaws for their actions, yet we rarely consider the situational pressures they face. This bias leads to unfair judgments and missed opportunities for empathy.

The mistaken belief that if something happens more frequently than normal during a given period, it will happen less frequently in the future—or vice versa—despite statistical independence.

We tend to let one positive trait create a **golden glow** around a person or brand, causing us to assume excellence in unrelated areas. This mental shortcut often leads us to overlook genuine flaws hiding behind that shining first impression.

We often claim events were predictable after they've happened. That nagging feeling of 'I knew it all along' can distort our memory of uncertainty and lead us to overestimate our forecasting abilities.

We instinctively connect unrelated events, creating patterns where none exist. This mental shortcut leads us to see relationships between random occurrences, influencing decisions based on coincidences rather than facts.

Our tendency to favor people from our own social circles creates invisible barriers. This preferential treatment of 'insiders' can undermine diversity and lead to flawed decision-making.

Our memories are surprisingly fragile. When exposed to misleading information after an event, we often unknowingly incorporate these false details into our original memories, creating confident but inaccurate recollections.

Our brains are wired to react more strongly to negative experiences than positive ones. This skewed attention means one criticism can outweigh ten compliments, affecting everything from mood to major decisions.

We consistently underestimate how long projects will take and how much they'll cost—even when we have plenty of past evidence showing our optimism is unrealistic. This rosy outlook sets us up for missed deadlines and budget overruns.

We tend to remember and heavily weigh the most recent information we encounter, often at the expense of earlier details. This can significantly skew our decisions, especially when evaluating complex situations over time.

Our minds paint the past with a deceptively positive brush, minimizing struggles and amplifying joys. This selective memory affects how we evaluate current situations and make future plans.

We naturally filter information through the lens of our existing beliefs, focusing on what confirms our views while conveniently overlooking contradictory evidence—even when it's right in front of us.

We readily take credit for our successes but blame external factors for our failures. This self-protective tendency preserves our self-image while distorting our ability to learn and grow.

Our innate preference for keeping things as they are often overpowers the potential benefits of change. We'll stick with familiar options even when alternatives offer significant advantages.

We irrationally cling to choices we've already invested in—whether time, money, or effort—despite diminishing returns. This powerful psychological trap keeps us throwing good resources after bad.

We tend to focus on successes while ignoring failures, leading to distorted conclusions. This bias can make risky ventures seem safer than they actually are.